Chapter 13

"Gourry, do you regret anything that we ever did?" Lina sat on the edge of the spring that was used for bathing. She was wearing a simple outfit, pants and a tunic styled shirt. Almost as if she could see her reflection, she paused her eyes on the water before shattering it, as she lowered her feet into the water.

"Yes, everyday of my life I regret something." Gourry was wading into the water to bathe. He wasn't comfortable with Lina there, but with everyone was busy right now. It made him uneasy to leave her alone. He knew she couldn't see him, so he guessed it was ok. "Do you?"

"No, not really. Everything I have done, has been for a reason it seems. I don't know, it seems as if our lives have been intertwined for a reason. I mean everyone that I know somehow has a connection to everything I do now. If I had never known Naga, I wouldn't have went to Mipross Island and would have never met Rouddy. That means that I would have never met you, maybe I would have never met Zelgadis or Amelia. Gourry, what good is all this is Xellos is going to destroy it all!" Her voice shook and her eyes searched the darkness, desperate to see Gourry. She needed the reassurance that it was all going to be ok. She needed to know if Gourry was going to be there for her.

Gourry had never seen Lina look so unsure in all the time her had known her. Her face didn't hide her fears and doubts. Her mask of confidance disintregrated. "Lina, we will stop him somehow, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I don't care what happens to me! I don't care what happens to this useless body! How can you assure me that Xellos can be stopped?! How?! Not even with the Lord of Nightmares's was I even a match for him! Look at me! I am nothing, and everyone will die because of me!" She stood trembling as she felt the pain became to much. She stood on the edge of the water, her hands clenched into fist. Tears fell to the water below, small ripples traveling away from the place they landed.

"I can't assure you Lina, I don't know that I can stop him. What I do know is that you have suffered enough! Lina how many times have you risked yourself for us, for me! You mean everything to me, I will protect you with all I have. I'm here for you." Gourry had never seen her so emotional, he didn't know how deep this pain ran, but it was tearing him apart as well. He had moved to the edge of the spring to dry off and redress.

Lina heard those words come from him..'I'm here for you'...and before she could think about it the words left her mouth. "Where were you when I needed you!? Where were you when I would wake up screaming!? Where? How can you say that?! Gourry, you swore that you would be there for me, you said you were my protector but when I needed help, you were gone!" Lina screamed at him as she fell to her hands and knees sobbing.

Closing the distance between them, Gourry fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Lina. Pulling her close to him, he felt his own tears fall. "Lina, I am so sorry. I was a coward then, I ran away with the idea to avenge you. An excuse because I gave up my feelings. I have done things I am not proud of, and please don't ask me. I can't undo the pain I have caused you, but please let me try to correct it now. Once we defeat Xellos, and we will beat him somehow, I will stay. I won't leave again..I swear it.."

Zelgadis stood close to Amelia, he didn't think it a good idea for them to be alone. She so quiet, it was unnerving the chimera. He didn't say anything to her, but he felt she was taking comfort in his presence. He was never blind to her affections, he just didn't know how to return them. He had spent too much time believing that no one could want to easily accept that someone could love him now.

"Mr. Zelgadis as soon as this is over, will you come back to Saillune and stay for a while? I am sending a letter to Daddy with Gracia's broach. I don't know how he is going to take it, but I can't go back now. I have to make sure that Xellos is stopped ; I HAVE to make sure that Justice is done..." Her voice was choked as a fresh wave of pain hit her. She hadn't known her sister that well but there had always been the chance that they could be reunited before, Xellos had stolen that dream from her. and with her mother's death she felt more alone than ever now.

"I will stay in Saillune as long as you need me to Amelia." It was a simple sentence, but it held more power in it than any chaos words. It was one of the only ways he knew to help her. He would be there when she needed him.

"Thank you Mr. Zegadis.." Rising she held the package in her hands for a moment before setting down. She spoke a maiden's prayer through her tears and walked out slowly to give it to the messenger.

Falling behind her Zelgadis, followed her. He knew that his life would be forever changed. He had finally let the girl into his heart and he silently swore to protect her with his life.

As the day wore on, everyone slowly came together for the evening meal. Zelgadis was always near Amelia and Gourry hovered over Lina. The girls didn't protest the men's action. These small changes didn't escape the attention of the adults. It gave them a bit of comfort to know that the bonds that held them together was being strengthed by new ones forming.

Mrs. Inverse, who had come to consider Amelia as her own child, a little sister for Lina, and had laugh at the way the two acted towards each other. They had squabbled and teased with each other, they had had fights and made up again. Zelgadis told her about the time they had to sing the song while searching for the Clair Bible and it brought tears to her eyes as she laughed. Now her eyes held tears in them, but it was for their pain. She had spent the night holding Amelia as she cried for her sister.

Eating in silence a knock was easily heard at the front door and Mr. Inverse told everyone to stay seated, he would get it. Everyone looked to each other wondering who it was when he came back with something in his hands.

Holding a septer or a wand of some kind he looked puzzled. "There was no one there, just this on the porch." He held it up so that everyone could see.

Lina sat there in confusion with her family. She could hear the reactions of her friends and her stomach felt sick. "What is it? Tell me!"


	Jeniam's spot on the web \| home Prologue \| Chapter One \| Chapter Two \| Chapter Three \| Chapter Four \| Chapter 5 \| Chapter 6 \| Chapter 7 \| Chapter 8 \| Chapter 9 \| Chapter 10 \| Chapter 11 \| Chapter 12 \| Chapter 13 \| Chapter 14 \| Chapter 15 \| Chapter 16 \| Ending Number 2 Chapter 13 "Gourry, do you regret anything that we ever did?" Lina sat on the edge of the spring that was used for bathing. She was wearing a simple outfit, pants and a tunic styled shirt. Almost as if she could see her reflection, she paused her eyes on the water before shattering it, as she lowered her feet into the water. "Yes, everyday of my life I regret something." Gourry was wading into the water to bathe. He wasn't comfortable with Lina there, but with everyone was busy right now. It made him uneasy to leave her alone. He knew she couldn't see him, so he guessed it was ok. "Do you?" "No, not really. Everything I have done, has been for a reason it seems. I don't know, it seems as if our lives have been intertwined for a reason. I mean everyone that I know somehow has a connection to everything I do now. If I had never known Naga, I wouldn't have went to Mipross Island and would have never met Rouddy. That means that I would have never met you, maybe I would have never met Zelgadis or Amelia. Gourry, what good is all this is Xellos is going to destroy it all!" Her voice shook and her eyes searched the darkness, desperate to see Gourry. She needed the reassurance that it was all going to be ok. She needed to know if Gourry was going to be there for her. Gourry had never seen Lina look so unsure in all the time her had known her. Her face didn't hide her fears and doubts. Her mask of confidance disintregrated. "Lina, we will stop him somehow, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." "I don't care what happens to me! I don't care what happens to this useless body! How can you assure me that Xellos can be stopped?! How?! Not even with the Lord of Nightmares's was I even a match for him! Look at me! I am nothing, and everyone will die because of me!" She stood trembling as she felt the pain became to much. She stood on the edge of the water, her hands clenched into fist. Tears fell to the water below, small ripples traveling away from the place they landed. "I can't assure you Lina, I don't know that I can stop him. What I do know is that you have suffered enough! Lina how many times have you risked yourself for us, for me! You mean everything to me, I will protect you with all I have. I'm here for you." Gourry had never seen her so emotional, he didn't know how deep this pain ran, but it was tearing him apart as well. He had moved to the edge of the spring to dry off and redress. Lina heard those words come from him..'I'm here for you'...and before she could think about it the words left her mouth. "Where were you when I needed you!? Where were you when I would wake up screaming!? Where? How can you say that?! Gourry, you swore that you would be there for me, you said you were my protector but when I needed help, you were gone!" Lina screamed at him as she fell to her hands and knees sobbing. Closing the distance between them, Gourry fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Lina. Pulling her close to him, he felt his own tears fall. "Lina, I am so sorry. I was a coward then, I ran away with the idea to avenge you. An excuse because I gave up my feelings. I have done things I am not proud of, and please don't ask me. I can't undo the pain I have caused you, but please let me try to correct it now. Once we defeat Xellos, and we will beat him somehow, I will stay. I won't leave again..I swear it.." ------------------------------- Zelgadis stood close to Amelia, he didn't think it a good idea for them to be alone. She so quiet, it was unnerving the chimera. He didn't say anything to her, but he felt she was taking comfort in his presence. He was never blind to her affections, he just didn't know how to return them. He had spent too much time believing that no one could want to easily accept that someone could love him now. "Mr. Zelgadis as soon as this is over, will you come back to Saillune and stay for a while? I am sending a letter to Daddy with Gracia's broach. I don't know how he is going to take it, but I can't go back now. I have to make sure that Xellos is stopped ; I HAVE to make sure that Justice is done..." Her voice was choked as a fresh wave of pain hit her. She hadn't known her sister that well but there had always been the chance that they could be reunited before, Xellos had stolen that dream from her. and with her mother's death she felt more alone than ever now. "I will stay in Saillune as long as you need me to Amelia." It was a simple sentence, but it held more power in it than any chaos words. It was one of the only ways he knew to help her. He would be there when she needed him. "Thank you Mr. Zegadis.." Rising she held the package in her hands for a moment before setting down. She spoke a maiden's prayer through her tears and walked out slowly to give it to the messenger. Falling behind her Zelgadis, followed her. He knew that his life would be forever changed. He had finally let the girl into his heart and he silently swore to protect her with his life. ---------------------------- As the day wore on, everyone slowly came together for the evening meal. Zelgadis was always near Amelia and Gourry hovered over Lina. The girls didn't protest the men's action. These small changes didn't escape the attention of the adults. It gave them a bit of comfort to know that the bonds that held them together was being strengthed by new ones forming. Mrs. Inverse, who had come to consider Amelia as her own child, a little sister for Lina, and had laugh at the way the two acted towards each other. They had squabbled and teased with each other, they had had fights and made up again. Zelgadis told her about the time they had to sing the song while searching for the Clair Bible and it brought tears to her eyes as she laughed. Now her eyes held tears in them, but it was for their pain. She had spent the night holding Amelia as she cried for her sister. Eating in silence a knock was easily heard at the front door and Mr. Inverse told everyone to stay seated, he would get it. Everyone looked to each other wondering who it was when he came back with something in his hands. Holding a septer or a wand of some kind he looked puzzled. "There was no one there, just this on the porch." He held it up so that everyone could see. Zelgadis recongized it as soon as he could see it clearly, he hand came down on the table in anger. Amelia just covered her mouth and choked back the sound of her sobs as she come to realize who it belonged to. Gourry swallowed and simply left the room, he didn't want the others to see him. He needed to be alone. Lina sat there in confusion with her family. She could hear the reactions of her friends and her stomach felt sick. "What is it? Tell me!" "Miss Lina, it's Miss Sylphiel's wand." Amelia could barely speak. Lina closed her eyes and let her own tears join with the others as she felt the loss of the gentle shrine maiden. When Light is Lost Saphire Draco's Fics Fan Fiction